Elk Lake News is an online newsletter for friends of our Rocky Mountain Resort. Whether they come to relax in the Montana mountains, to enjoy a family vacation package in the Centennial Valley, or to pursue their own 'trails' in our wide open spaces...our guests always leave with a new ‘home' in the mountains. We welcome new friends, too. Check out our web page with the link below...or drop us a note on our blog. We'd love to hear from you!

7/28/2007

When did "We" become "They"

Wow, I can't believe an entire month has flown by without a single entry! Shame on me. However, I can honestly say the lack of words on paper (or blog) is not due to lack of anything to say but rather lack of time to say it.

But, I have a few minutes so. . .

Our days are filled with fun, food, and fans (of Elk Lake). They're also filled with work, work, and more work. Sadly we've also experienced a bit of controversy here in paradise.

One of the things I read recently not only poked me in the eye but also hit the proverbial nail on the head. I stumbled across this article by accident, but found it 'enlightening' to say the least.

I can't even remember the subject. Something controversial. Whether it dealt with wildfire, wildlife, or wild country doesn't really matter in the end. After all, they're all connected. Each one is at the heart of a controversy raging right now - somewhere.

What 'poked me in the eye' was when the interviewee said 'we all agree. . .' (on whatever it was) and 'we are all concerned. . .' (about whatever they were discussing). This man's statements immediately provoked the question, "When did you become me?"

After all, I am a free citizen of this country. I thought that gave me a voice of my own. However, this man felt he spoke for me (and you, for that matter). Now, I don't mind letting someone else speak for me, if they are saying what I believe. But when someone (like my undisclosed man in this scenario) starts saying what they believe is what I believe - and nothing could be farther from the truth - that really gets my dander up.

But isn't that just like life? After all, it seems we're constantly having to either accept or correct the opinions and pre-suppositions which people try to thrust upon us. Take Elk Lake. We're currently in the middle of discussing whether Elk Lake should be changed from an open lake (free to any and all boats) to a no-wake lake.

Oddly enough, we received a call from our USFS representative (or overseer - depends on the day :-) on a Sunday (what was he doing in the office on a Sunday?) letting us know he'd decided it would be prudent to change the lake to no-wake status. When we disagreed (quite adamently), he was surprised. After all, why wouldn't we want the lake 'protected' and the rights of fishermen 'preserved'?

Another case of someone else assuming they knew what was best for us - and for you if you enjoy using Elk Lake. But, like so many of these situations, decisions were being made arbitrarily - based on what someone 'thought' not on the facts. After all, we really didn't appreciate the idea of the USFS taking $10,000 of our annual income when there have been no complaints from anyone (fisherman or otherwise) and no studies (or even suggestions) of environmental harm being done. Besides, what about the tax payer who likes to waterski? When did they become less important?

It all boils down to the current 'politically correct' climate. If you aren't part of the 'in' crowd, you don't have much voice. More than that, they speak for you. As in the article mentioned above, 'we' are now 'they' - at least when it comes to how they report the news and what they suggest for changes.

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About Me

In 2010 Jake and I packed up our camper and traveled around the United States for a year; it was an amazing and life-changing experience. We didn't want to go back to "real" jobs so for a few years we worked in an Idaho ghost town in the winters and as summer help here at Elk Lake Resort, Montana. We fell in love with Elk Lake and the Centennial Valley...the ruggedness, the pristine beauty, the peacefulness. After kicking the tires for 3 years, we sold our house in the Pacific Northwest and became proud owners of Elk Lake Resort. We hope you have a chance to visit us here!